"AUTUMN IN NEW ENGLAND TOUR"

The "Autumn in  New England Tour" began in Mystic, CT.  The beginning of the tour was primarily historical in nature as we visited Mystic, CT and Boston, MA.  (The changing colors come later in ME, NH, VT and NY.)

Mystic Seaport is called "The Museum of America and the Sea."  It is a working village on the shores of the bay and most of the buildings are the original structures - 1850 to 1870.

 

Beautiful homes across the bay from the village.

 

Small boat exhibit.

 

Mystic Print Shop

 

Boat Repair Shop

 

It could go "boom" at any minute!

 

Union Baptist Church - please note in the picture below the "Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Exercises of the church in 1896...on a Sunday evening!!!

 

 

Nautical Instrument Shop

 

 

Being only a few miles away, we had to go to RI so Nancy could get her feet wet in the ocean.

 

Looks like it was a little colder than she expected.

 

On the Way to New England



On September 16 we left Gillette, WY, headed for Connecticut to begin our Autumn in New England Fantasy RV Tour.  Since we had already been in Wyoming and South Dakota we didn't repeat the state welcome signs in this blog.  The first night was spent in Sioux Falls, SD.  The next day we were off to Madison, WI.  Of course we went across MN. 

 

  

 

Although it was cold and damp we had to stop at this rest area in MN for Russ to get a cache.  

 

 

We found WI and the city of Madison to be a beautiful area.  Below is the capitol which is near the University.

 

 

Madison has its share of nice homes such as the one above.

Before we left the area we had to find a cache.





Since Nancy had never been to Chicago, we made the next day a short one so we could have time to see the sights of the city.

 

When we got to the Chicago area we experienced our first toll booth.  All I have to say is the midwest and New England have fallen in love with toll roads.  So far we have paid approximately $150 in tolls!

 

One of the places we visited in Chicago was what used to be the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the US.  It is now known as the Willis Tower.  The name was changed a few years ago because the largest tenent in the building is the Willis Insurance Group from England.  

 

This is what it looks like from 120 stories!

 

You will notice that Nancy is not looking out the window!

 

Before leaving the Chicago area Nancy searches for a cache.

 



 

The next night we spent in Streetsboro, OH.  So we were welcomed by IN and OH before arriving. 

 

 

We found this suburb of Cleveland to be a beautiful area.  The KOA where we stayed was one of the best we have ever stayed in. 

  

 

The KOA had 2 lakes.  One for fishing and the lake above for swimming.

 

Streetsboro also had many very large and beautiful homes.

 

The fifth night was in East Stroudsburg, PA near the NJ border.  We had to get a cache before leaving the next morning.

  

 

We were soon in NJ. 

  

 

Then NY.

 

The bridge crossing the river into Tarrytown, NY a few miles from NYC.  We have found the traffic in New England to be heavy with crazy drivers and terrible highways.  Compared to driving in New England, CA is a piece of cake.

 

 

 

It was good to finally get to CT and Mystic Seaport where we begin our tour.  We made the approximately 2,000 miles in 5 and a half days -- pretty good for old folks in a motor home!

Gillette, Wyoming



After spending time in Cheyenne, WY and Rapid City, SD we headed to Gillette, WY for an FMCA rally.

 

 

Gillette is the energy capital of the US.  They produce oil and natural gas but their largest producer is coal.  Approximately 45% of the nation uses coal to generate electricity and 55% of all coal used in the US comes from Gillette.  The coal is transported by train all over the US.  If you lined up all the railroad cars that leave Gillette each day it would be 200 miles long.  They have a new power plant in Gillette and the emissions are so small there is not an instrument currently in exsistence capable of measuring such a minute amount.  Below are pictures of just one of the coal mines in the area. 

 

 Nancy stands in the middle of a mine shovel.

 

One of many oil wells in the area.

 

After mining in the area is completed, they reclaim the land which abounds with a variety of wildlife and domestic animals as well.

 

Our rally was held at the Cam-Plex.  This is a very large multi-purpose facility that has an RV park with over 1,700 full hook-ups.  We had just under 400 coaches so there was plenty of room.



 

 

 

Nancy learns a new craft - T-shirt weaving.

 

We were volunteers for the rally.  Here Russ is signing up people for various crafts.

  

Nancy is admiring one of the cars that was an entry in the car show.

Rapid City

 

 

Nancy had been to South Dakota as a teenager when her father was Sup't. of State Missions and South Dakota was part of the Baptist General Convention of Arizona; but Russ had never been.  We were looking forward to seeing the many sites in the Rapid City area.

 

 



Not far into South Dakota we came across this interesting store.  We wondered if he is one our relatives.!

 

HART RANCH (OUR RV PARK)

 

 

Hart Ranch is one of the nicest RV parks we have ever stayed in.  It has many activities including an olympic size pool, tennis courts, pickleball courts, Sunday services, Sunday night gospel concerts, and an 18 hole championship golf course among other things.

 

BEAR COUNTRY U.S.A.

Although Bear Country has a lot more bears than anything else it has many other species including elk (seen below), deer, reindeer, big horn sheep, mountain lions, mountain goats, buffalo and many others.

 

And of course they had plenty of cubs.

 

 

MOUNT RUSHMORE

 

 

 George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and...Russ Jakes, president of the Rocky Mountain Coaches for Christ.

 

Interesting facts: Gutzon Borglum, Sculptor

Carving dates:  1927-1941

Number of workers:  400

Namesake:  Charles Rushmore

Main tools:  Dynamite and jackhammer

Rock:  Granite

 

 

 There was a lighting ceremony in the evening which included patriotic music, singing of the Star Spangled Banner and recognition of all military men and women, past and present, who were asked to gather on the platform and say their name and military affiliation.

 

At the end of the program, the flag was lowered and presented to the oldest veteran present (90 years - front row left in the wheelchair).

 

 CRAZYHORSE

 

 

Not far from Mount Rushmore is the world's largest mountain carving still in progress - Chief Crazy Horse. The first blast of dynamite, which took off 10 tons of rock, was in 1948.  Sculptor Korczak Ziolikowski has passed away but his family and other workers continue to work on the monument.

 

This is a model of what it will look like when completed.

 

WALL DRUG STORE - WALL, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

 

While at Mount Rushmore as we were waiting for the evening program to begin, we were visiting with a tourist who told us about the Wall Drug Store.  Although we will be going through there after we leave Gillette on our way to Connecticut, it will be a long driving day so we decided to make it a day trip from Rapid City.

 

 

There were Jackalopes everywhere convincing Russ of their existence.

 

This establishment started out as a small town drug store in 1931 and has developed into a bustling place of business that takes up a whole city block!